Incident Summary:

12/31/2003: A car bomb explosion at the restaurant called Nabil killed five people and wounded thirty five individuals including two Americans and a Briton in Baghdad, Iraq.

GTD ID:
200312310001

When:
2003-12-31

Country:
Iraq

Region:
Middle East & North Africa

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Baghdad

City:
Baghdad

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Bombing/Explosion
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Business
Name of Entity Nabil Restaurant
Specific Description Diners at Nabil Restaurant
Nationality of Target Iraq
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property
Name of Entity Civilians
Specific Description Two US citizens at a restaurant in Baghdad
Nationality of Target Multinational
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage Yes
Extent of Property Damage Minor (likely < $1 million)
Value of Property Damage Unknown
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Explosives Vehicle
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?No
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Additional Information The restaurant was one of few in Baghdad that served alcoholic beverages. The patrons were celebrating New Years Eve. The Los Angeles Times said three of its reporters and four local staff members suffered wounds that did not appear life-threatening. The reporters were Chris Kraul, a correspondent who most recently headed the Times' Mexico City bureau; Tracy Wilkinson, the paper's Rome bureau chief; and correspondent Ann Simmons, who formerly was the Times' bureau chief in Nairobi, Kenya. Simmons is British and the two other Times reporters are U.S. citizens.
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Unknown No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators Unknown
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 5 Fatalities / 35 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 5
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 35
Number of U.S. Injured 2
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
Yehia Barzanji, “Gunfire Kills Two Protesters in Kirkuk; Car Bomb in Baghdad Targets U.S. Convoy,” The Associated Press, December 31, 2003.
Sarah El Deeb and Matthew Rosenberg, “Car Bomb Explodes During Baghdad Restaurant New Year’s Party, Killing Five Iraqis,” Associated Press Worldstream, December 31, 2003.
Larry Kaplow, “Blast at Restaurant New Year’s Party Caps Day of Baghdad Bombings,” Cox News Service, December 31, 2003.